The Sagebrush Rebellion was a movement that emerged in the western United States in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The movement was characterized by a series of protests, lawsuits, and other actions by Western ranchers, miners, and other groups who sought to gain greater control over federal lands in the region. The roots of the Sagebrush Rebellion can be traced back to longstanding disputes over land use and ownership in the western United States, particularly in states like Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Many Westerners believed that the federal government had too much control over public lands, and that local communities and private landowners should have greater say in how those lands were managed. The movement gained momentum in the late 1970s, as [conservative politicians and activists](https://doctorparadox.net/mental-self-defense/the-conservative-mind/) rallied around the cause of states' rights and limited government. In 1979, a group of Nevada ranchers formed the "Sagebrush Rebels," a loose coalition of individuals and organizations that advocated for greater local control over federal lands. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which set aside millions of acres of land in Alaska for wilderness protection. This action further inflamed tensions between Westerners and the federal government. Overall, the Sagebrush Rebellion lasted from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. While it did not result in significant changes to federal land policy, it helped to raise awareness of Westerners' concerns and contributed to ongoing debates over land use and ownership in the region.